Security personnel in Foase shooting to face sanctions if…

The Ashanti Regional Police command says it will severely deal with personnel found to have acted unprofessionally in the Foase shooting incident.

Three people have died after police fired through protesters over the relocation of the capital of Atwima Kwanwoma District from Foase to Twedie.

One of them died on the spot on Wednesday while the others gave up later at the hospital, the last of them on Friday.

Two out of seven people currently on admission at the Komfo Anokye Hospital Accident and Emergency Center are also in critical condition.

Six others who had been on admission at a private health facility with various degrees of injuries were discharged over the weekend.

Residents accuse Police of targeting them in Wednesday’s incident clashes, resulting in the fatalities.

They have been going round to pick both spent shells and live ammunition which they believe were fired from AK 47 assault rifles.

“It was just a peaceful demonstration but they fired into the crowd, targeting unarmed residents. Police assaulted Nana Gyaasehene without any provocation. It still baffles me why they fired shots into the crowd.

“This is evidence of police unprofessional conduct. This is against the claim that they fired only rubber bullet,” an angry resident said.

The regional command describes the shooting and the casualties suffered as unfortunate while, extending condolences to bereaved families.

ASP Juliana Obeng, Public Relations Officer, said “if the duty of an institution is to get to a scene like that and then make sure there is an absolute calm and absolute law and order maintained and that was achieved, I guess that’s it.

“It wasn’t only the police that was detailed to go maintain law and order there. We had a team joining us from the military and we had the support of our colleagues from the Fire Service as well,” she said.

Asked if peace is maintained at the expense of human life, ASP Juliana Obeng sounded apologetic, describing the deaths as unfortunate.

“It is unfortunate. We continue to extend our condolences to bereaved families,” she said.

“Investigations is ongoing,” she assured.

No arrest has been made in connection with the shooting incident.

ASP Obeng, however, says the command will not shield personnel who will be cited for professional misconduct.

“If at the end of our review we noticed or have the evidence to prove that indeed there was a policeman or military man or there was even a fireman who did something that was not professional and for that matter has resulted not just in the death but in mishandling of the issue in Foase, yes there is some kind of punishment that would be meted to that police or military or fire personnel,” she revealed.

Meanwhile, residents of Foase are voluntarily contributing to support treatment and up-keep of wounded victims of Wednesday’s disturbances.